Adjusting device for ailerons of airplanes



Sept. 14 1926. I 1,600,079

- B. D. THOMAS ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR AILERONS 0F AIRPLANES I Filed Dec. 19, 1922 2 She ets -Sheet l I I r I Q-f I 1 I I I i I I l III C) l I Sept. 14,1926. 1,600,079

B. D. THOMAS ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR AILERONS 0F AIRPLANBS Filed Dec. 19, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented Sept.'14, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,600,079 PATENT OFFICE."

BENJAMIN DOUGLAS THOMAS, OF ITH AGA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR E ONE-TENTH T0 TION or NEW YORK.

OF.- ITHACA, NEW YORK, A CQRPORA- ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR AILERONS OF AIRPLANES.

Application filed December 19, 1922. Serial No. 607,761.

This invention relates to devices for adjusting the position of the allerons of airplanes, which adjustment is mdependent of the usual lateral control.

The object of my invention is to provide for'varying the speed of air lanes, and also for balancing the same in a ongltudmal d1- rection by adjusting the setting of the allerons relative to the wing curve. By means of my improvement, the ailerons may be set to any one of a plurality of positions, e1ther above or below',the normal or-neutral posi-' tion; as for instance, in order to permit an increased or higher rate of speed, the aile- 16 rons -may be raised, or 'for a decreasedor. slower speed, as when landing, the ailerons" may be depressed or lowered below the neutral position. When raised, the centre of lift is further forward than when the alle- Q rons are inneutral'position, but when the ailerons arelowered, the centre of lift is further' back. -Consequently, if. the airplane should be somewhat nose heavy, this unbalanced condition can .be readily corrected by setting the ailerons to a raised position, while if the heaviness should be at the tail, correctionrcan be made by setting the ailerons to a lowered position. A

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 80 1 and 2am side and end elevations, respectivel of-my improved construction, as applie to the control stick of an airplane; and, Fig. .3, is a diagrammatic view, illustrating the connections for adjusting the po-' 85 sitions of the ailerons from the control stick,

the operating rod and aileron at one side being brokenaway: i y

In the construction shown, the control stick, 5, is pivoted at 6 to the lower section Q -or.jaw, 7, which, in turn, is hinged at 8 to the U rib 9, which is a transverse brace memberof the fuselage, the pivot 6 being at rightangles to the'hinge 8. For the operation oi the elevators, the stick is oscillated longitudinally upolf the hinge, 8, in the usual way. The operation of the ailerons for the usual lateral control is obtained by swingin the stick laterallyupon the pivot, 6. Accor ing to my improvement, the device so for adjusting the setting of the ailerons is 2 associated with the connections between the control stick and the ailerons in such a manner that the said connections may be adjusted as desired for the purpose above specified.

Although va'riousdifl'erent forms of mechan ism may be designed for this purpose, I have shown a preferred construction comprising'the arms, 10, pivotally mounted on the pin, 6, and extending at opposite sides, the arms being connected to a sliding sleeve, or yoke, 11, on the control stick, by means of the links, 12. The position of the sliding sleeve, 11, n the control stick and the corresponding elevation of the pivoted arms, 10, may be adjusted by the link, 13, operated by a crank arm, 14, on shaft, 17, mounted in afitting or bracket, 15, fastened'upon the control stick, and having an adjusting lever,

16, which may be held in any one of its several positions by means of the spring actuated stop pin, 19, en aging'in the holesor depressions in 'the/p late, 20, mounted on the control StlgOk.

The operating connections from the arms, 10, to the ailerons, 30, include the links, 23, levers, 24, and rods, 25. For attaching the push and pull rod, 25, to the aileron various means may be employed A preferred con struction for this purpose comprises a triangular brace, 26, which is hinged along the axis ab t0 the stationary portion of the aileron and has its pointed end which extends within the aileron, provided with a downward projection, 27, pivoted to the upper end of the rod, 25. A short link, 28, connects the end 'ofthe hinged brace with the upper surfaceo'f the aileron.

- When the hand lever, 16, occupies its cen 'tral or neutral position, as shown in full lines, with the control stick vertical, the connections are such as to hold the ailerons in the neutral position in which they are continuous with the trailing edge ofthe wing.-

The hand lever, 16, may then be adjusted in one direction from the neutral position fol-setting the ailerons at both' sides s'imul- 'taneously' upward -to a position above neutral, or maybe turned in the opposite direction, for lowering both ailerons below the neutral position, as may be required by an unbalanced condition of the" airplane, or by the conditions of flight. When the parts are in the neutral position, the lateral control of the air lane is obtained by swinging the control st1ck;laterally, and thereby raising .one aileron and depressing the other in the usual way. This lateral control'may also be wing adjacent to the innerboard side of the eflected in the same way when the setting of the ailerons has been adjusted by moving the lever, 16', to any one. of its other positions. The extreme positions for the hand lever, 16, are indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1,-and, if desired, adjustable stops, 18, maybe provided for limiting the movement of the lever. "Any desired number of positions may be provided for the adjusting lever, two at eachside of the neutral-position being shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The action of adjusting the setting of the ailerons is independent of the lateral control, and may be made at any time without interfering with the usual method'of controlling the airplane.

Havlng now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let-- ters Patent is 1. In an airplane, the combination J of a control stick, oppositely extending arms having connections for operating the ailerons,

, links connected to said arms, a sliding sleeve mountedon the control stick and attached to said lmks, andmeans for adjusting the position of saidsleeve vertically upon said stick.

2. In an airplane, the combination of a control stick pivoted for lateral movement, oppositely extending arms also mounted on said pivot, a sleeve slidingly supported on said stick, links connecting said arms with said sleeve, and means for adjusting the position of the sleeve upon the stick.

3. In an airplane, the combination of a control stick pivoted for lateral movement, oppositely extending arms also mounted on said pivot, a sleeve slidingly supported on said stick, links connecting said arms with said sleeve, and a lever fulcrumed upon the control stick for adjusting said sleeve.

4. In an airplane, the combination of a at the outer end of the brace, and an operating rod also connected to said hinged brace.

6. In an airplane, the combination with a wing and aileron, of a triangular brace hinged upon a stationary portion of thewing at the innerboard side of the aileron and extending within the same, a link connecting the pointed end of the brace with the upper portion of the aileron, and an operating rod also-connected to theendof said triangular brace.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJAMIN DOUGLAS THOMAS. 

